Updates
8 Feb 2026
- SH2 Waioweka Gorge on State Highway 2 between Ōpōtiki (Eastern Bay of Plenty) and Matawai (Tairāwhiti), open for essential public travel under piloted convoy.
- SH35 Ōpōtiki to Pōtaka is open.
- SH35 Pōtaka to Te Araroa remains closed.
23 Jan 2026
NZTA crews continue to make steady progress at the Goldsmith slip site (the first from the Ōpōtiki side and potentially largest - approx. 110 metres high and up to 60 metres wide), with an additional 40‑tonne digger on the way to boost clearing efforts.
Link to the full NZTA media release: Teams press forward as conditions in SH2 Waioweka Gorge shift
22 Jan 2026
Work to clear SH2 has been postponed due to the weather impacts from the 21 - 22 Jan.
Next steps
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi lead the work on assessing and repairing the road through the Gorge. They have established a Regional Emergency Response Team (RERT) and have contractors on the ground who began work on Sunday 18 January at both ends of the Gorge. As each slip is declared safe for crews to enter, work begins on each site.
You can stay up to date on the NZTA website and you can subscribe to their email community updates.
SH2 road closure information
Ōpōtiki side
- Soft closure starts at Warrington Road - 6km south of Ōpōtiki (SH2/35). Resident access only.
- Hard closure and no access from Waioeka Pa Road (Opeke Marae access), 2km south of Warrington Road.
Gisborne side
- Soft closure starts at Kerei Street, Matawai, 65km in from Makaraka. Resident access only.
- Hard closure and no access from Te Wera Road, 7km east of Kerei Street.
For motorists
The detours are lengthy – SH35 or SH5. Please note – Motu Road is also closed (since November 2025) due to a large slip in that area as well. Motorists will need to allow plenty of time for these detours.
For residents
Residents whose access is impacted by these slips (those living on SH2 or council roads Wairata, Waiata and Red Pass roads), if we haven’t already contacted you, please feel free to get in touch and leave your contact details with our team on 07 315 3030. We’ll make sure you are in the loop on any plans and logistics for next few weeks. However, if it is an emergency, please don’t hesitate to call 111 and get help.
Background
Between 15-16 January 2026, more than 300mm of rain (double the area’s January average) fell over the Bay of Plenty – Gisborne Tairawhiti regions, particularly through the Waioweka gorge where it triggered widespread debris flows and landslips, closing SH2 between Ōpōtiki and Gisborne.
By late evening on 16 January, travelers and residents along the affected sections of SH2 had been accounted for and where required, were air-lifted out by helicopter. Dozens of motorists rescued as major slips shut section of SH2
Early assessments indicate around 40 slips throughout the Gorge, including 4 - 8 major slip sites. Waka Kotahi NZTA is clear that this means reopening SH2 through the gorge will “take weeks, not days”.
SH2 is the main route between the Tairawhiti and the Bay of Plenty and this closure is significant. There are no short or convenient detours available.
